About this course

Entry requirements

A good honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject, with a minimum of 50% content in an appropriate modern foreign language. Alternatively, native speakers require excellent communication skills in English. A second language to A level (or equivalent standard) in French, German or Spanish. Applicants offering only one foreign language are able to complete a short intensive Enhancement Course in French in order to achieve sufficient competence to teach a second language accurately and confidently at secondary level to at least Key Stage 3. GCSE Mathematics and English language at grade C (Grade 4) or above, or equivalent. All shortlisted applicants are subject to interview. All offers are subject to Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance and Occupational Health clearance. All applicants must pass the National College for Teaching and Leadership's professional skills tests in literacy and numeracy before starting the course. Applicants whose first language is not English, and who do not have GCSE English language at grade C (Grade 4) or above, require English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component less than 6.0.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Why take this course?

Modern Foreign Languages is a foundation subject of the secondary curriculum at Key Stage 3 and an entitlement at Key Stage 4. On this course, you will study and learn about issues related to modern foreign languages teaching as you develop an understanding of educational issues pertaining to teaching and learning, classroom interaction, the school curriculum and the school and society.

Training Programme code: French and German RX11

What will I experience?

On this course you can:

Undertake placements with our network of experience training schools

Train in classroom management techniques as you study the theory underpinning them

Develop your subject knowledge

What opportunities might it lead to?

The course is accredited by the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL). This means that successful completion of the PGCE will enable you to gain Qualified Teacher Status and will provide for a career in secondary teaching. On recent figures, over 90% of our students each year gain employment with 60% of those getting jobs in our partnership schools.

Module Details

The course lasts 36 weeks between September and June, with one third of the time spent in University-based sessions such as lectures, group participation and guided reading, and the remainder working in at least two of our partner schools.

You will be supported by tutors while in the university, and by professional and subject mentors while in schools, encouraging the development of teaching skills specifically for the secondary sector and blending work-based learning experience and supervised teaching practice.

The programme offers trainees a choice between the Professional and the Postgraduate route, with the latter allowing trainees to graduate with 60 M-level credits.

Programme Assessment

The course lasts 36 weeks between September and June, with one third of the time spent in University-based sessions such as lectures, group participation and guided reading, and the remainder working in at least two of our partner schools.

You will be supported by tutors while in the university, and by professional and subject mentors while in schools, encouraging the development of teaching skills specifically for the secondary sector and blending work-based learning experience and supervised teaching practice.

The programme offers trainees a choice between the Professional and the Postgraduate route, with the latter allowing trainees to graduate with 60 M-level credits.

The assessment procedures adopted throughout the course are mainly formative in nature and designed to ensure that trainees meet the Standards for Qualifying to Teach.

In each term you will be assessed on:

The development of your teaching skills

A formal assignment

An interview in which you will demonstrate the evidence collected towards the standards including your subject knowledge

Throughout the course you will collate a portfolio of evidence based on schoolwork, observations of teaching, tasks and assignments.

Student Destinations

Career opportunities within teaching are now far wider and more diverse than ever before. After a few years of teaching, relatively recently qualified teachers are able to gain promotion (responsibility) points for leadership within their subject. Alternatively some teachers prefer to pursue a pastoral route and may gain promotion to Year Head or other pastoral roles. There are also opportunities to become a Subject Leader, which allows effective classroom teachers to gain recognition for their excellence in the classroom without needing to move to more administrative positions. After some experience of middle management successful teachers may progress to senior management as Senior Teacher, Deputy Head or Head.

At the end of the training period, more than 90% of the trainees went into full-time employment in schools within the Portsmouth University Partnership.